Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Clin Cancer Res 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne.

Purpose: Characterization of tumor antigen-specific CD4 T cell responses in healthy donors and malignant melanoma patients using an in vitro amplified T cell library screening procedure.

Experimental Design: A high-throughput, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-independent approach was used to estimate at unprecedented high sensitivity level precursor frequencies of tumor antigen- and neo-antigen-specific CD4 T cells in healthy donors and cancer patients. Frequency estimation was combined with isolation and functional characterization of identified tumor-reactive CD4 T cell clones. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Apr 20. Epub 2019 Apr 20.

ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Maternal immunization provides an excellent evidence-based strategy for preventing severe disease and decreasing neonatal and infant mortality. A substantial proportion of these deaths are due to infectious diseases, most of them vaccine-preventable, then, there is a real opportunity for intervention. Maternal immunization has been an underexploited area for many years, with the exception of neonatal tetanus. Read More

Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2019 Apr 20. Epub 2019 Apr 20.

Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.

Animals (Basel) 2019 Apr 13;9(4). Epub 2019 Apr 13.

Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, D.F. México C.P. 04501, Mexico.

There is great need for veterinary care for working equids worldwide. Addressing this need provides an opportunity for veterinary students to gain primary care experience. An annual two week collaborative outreach and educational program with Michigan State University (MSU), the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Universidad Veracruzana (UV) was developed to provide care for working equids in rural Mexican communities. Read More

JAMA Pediatr 2019 Apr 22. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Importance: The United States has experienced a nationwide resurgence of pertussis since the mid-1970s, despite high estimated vaccine coverage. Short-lived immunity induced by diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines in young children is widely believed to be responsible for this growing burden, but the duration of protection conferred by DTaP vaccines remains incompletely quantified.

Objective: To assess the duration of immunity and the effectiveness of DTaP vaccines in US children. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Apr;98(16):e15281

Immunization Program Office, Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Background: Due to the resurgence of pertussis, many countries have revised the pertussis immunization schedules and recommended booster doses of pertussis component vaccine for adolescents and adults. Here we aim to investigate the effectiveness and safety of pertussis component vaccines in adolescents and adults.

Methods: Based on a prospectively registered protocol, we reviewed the literature and selected trials in adolescents and adults using pertussis component vaccine. Read More

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2019 Apr 22;7(4):e12223. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Background: Postvaccination fever is a mild adverse event that naturally improves without complications, but is highly prevalent and can be accompanied by febrile convulsions in some cases. These adverse effects may cause parents to delay or avoid vaccinating their children.

Objective: This study aimed to identify postvaccination fever patterns and the ability of antipyretics to affect changes in these patterns from data collected from a mobile app named Fever Coach. Read More

Can Commun Dis Rep 2018 Mar 1;44(3-4):91-94. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, OttawaON.

Background: In Canada, pertussis is an endemic and cyclical disease, with peaks occurring at two- to five-year intervals. Although pertussis incidence varies by age group, unvaccinated or undervaccinated infants are at greatest risk of infection and associated complications. Since the last National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations published in 2014, new evidence on the safety and effectiveness of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and reduced acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine administration in pregnancy has become available. Read More

Rev Esp Salud Publica 2019 Apr 22;93. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Subdirección General de Promoción de la Salud y Vigilancia en Salud Pública. Dirección General de Salud Pública, Calidad e Innovación. Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social. Madrid. España.

Seroprevalence studies are designed in population samples to assess the level and distribution of immunity induced by natural infection of certain infectious agents or by immunization against them. The purpose of the 2nd Seroprevalence Study in Spain is to assess the prevalence and distribution of immune status against vaccine-preventable diseases and generated by natural infection by other microorganisms. Pathologies specifically included in the study are: poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, rubella, mumps, varicella, invasive meningococcal disease by serogroup C, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis E, hepatitis C and HIV. Read More

Semin Perinatol 2019 Mar 16. Epub 2019 Mar 16.

Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is an important opportunity to diagnose and treat pregnancy-related complications and to deliver interventions aimed at improving health and survival of both mother and the infant. Multiple individual studies and national surveys have assessed antenatal care utilization at a single point in time across different countries, but ANC trends have not often been studied in rural areas of low-middle income countries (LMICs). The objective of this analysis was to study the trends of antenatal care use in LMICs over a seven-year period. Read More

Arthritis Res Ther 2019 Apr 18;21(1):102. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Background: Clinical guidelines recommend pneumococcal and tetanus vaccinations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Baricitinib is an oral, selective Janus kinase (JAK) 1/JAK 2 inhibitor and is approved for the treatment of moderately to severely active RA in adults in over 50 countries including European countries, the USA, and Japan. This substudy evaluated pneumococcal conjugate and tetanus toxoid vaccine (TTV) responses in patients with RA receiving baricitinib. Read More

J Public Health Res 2019 Mar 11;8(1):1436. Epub 2019 Mar 11.

Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Italy.

Vaccine hesitancy has increased worldwide with a subsequent decreasing of vaccination rates and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (i.e. measles, poliomyelitis and pertussis) in several developed countries, including Italy. Read More

BMJ Glob Health 2019 30;4(2):e001248. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

United Nations Children's Fund, Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, Amman, Jordan.

Immunisation is a cornerstone to primary health care and is an exceptionally good value. The 14 low-income and middle-income countries in the Middle East and North Africa region make up 88% of the region's population and 92% of its births. Many of these countries have maintained high immunisation coverage even during periods of low or negative economic growth. Read More

Tex Med 2019 Apr 1;115(4):47. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Almost all U.S. tetanus cases occur among people who are unvaccinated or did not receive a booster shot, according to the U. Read More

Ann Ig 2019 Mar-Apr;31(2 Supple 1):54-64

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Italy.

The National Plan for Vaccine Prevention 2017-2019 has expanded the vaccination offer including new vaccines, enlarging the target population and introducing for the first time in Italy a life-course approach to vaccination. A "lifetime immunization schedule" is aimed to reduce the burden and the related costs of vaccine-preventable diseases through effective vaccination programs. However, to counteract the national steady downward trend in the uptake of vaccinations that caused a drop of the vaccination coverage below the 95% threshold to allow herd immunity, it was decided to make 10 vaccinations mandatory by the law 119/2017. Read More

Proteomes 2019 Apr 16;7(2). Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Microbiology Division, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Staudtstr. 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.

is the etiological agent of tetanus, a life-threatening bacterial infection. The most efficient protection strategy against tetanus is a vaccination with the neurotoxin, which is inactivated by formaldehyde-crosslinking. Since we assumed that besides the tetanus toxin, other proteins of may also be present in toxoid preparations, we analyzed commercially available vaccines from different countries in respect to their protein content using mass spectrometry. Read More

Indian J Community Med 2019 Jan-Mar;44(1):64-65

Department of General surgery, A.N. Magadh Medical College, Gaya, Bihar, India.

Vaccine 2019 May 8;37(19):2586-2599. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

GSK, Wavre, Belgium. Electronic address:

Background: Two conserved pneumococcal proteins, pneumolysin toxoid (dPly) and pneumococcal histidine triad protein D (PhtD), combined with 10 polysaccharide conjugates from the pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D-conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) in two investigational pneumococcal vaccine (PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD) formulations were immunogenic and well-tolerated when administered to Gambian children. Here, we report immunogenicity of the polysaccharide conjugates, and immunogenicity and reactogenicity of co-administered routine vaccines.

Methods: In this phase II, controlled, observer-blind, single-centre study, healthy infants aged 8-10 weeks were randomised (1:1:1:1:1:1) to six groups. Read More

JAAPA 2018 Apr;31(4):27-31

John B. Hurt is an assistant professor and director of clinical education in the PA program at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Kristopher R. Maday is program director of the PA program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

Animal bites account for 1% of ED visits and more than $50 million in healthcare costs annually in the United States. Managing bite wounds can be challenging and providers must consider the patient's tetanus status, species of animal inflicting the bite, and infection risk. This article describes treatment and care of bites and when rabies prophylaxis is indicated. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2019 Apr;15(646):780-785

Service des maladies infectieuses, HUG, 1211 Genève 14.

Animal and human bites are a common cause of admission to the emergency room and the infections are common, although they are often trivialized. Complications can range from simple cellulitis to septic shock especially in asplenic patients with Capnoyctophaga canimorsus infection. Other less common infections are possible such as rat-bite fever, leptospirosis, tularemia, and evaluation of post-exposure prophylaxis (anti-tetanus, anti-rabies, HIV, HBV) is essential. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 04 9;10(1):1633. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

WorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.

The success of vaccination programs depends largely on the mechanisms used in vaccine delivery. National immunization programs offer childhood vaccines through fixed and outreach services within the health system and often, additional supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) are undertaken to fill gaps and boost coverage. Here, we map predicted coverage at 1 × 1 km spatial resolution in five low- and middle-income countries to identify areas that are under-vaccinated via each delivery method using Demographic and Health Surveys data. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 Apr 8;16(7). Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building (A27), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

Child mortality in Nepal has reduced, but the rate is still above the Sustainable Development Goal target of 20 deaths per 1000 live births. This study aimed to identify common factors associated with under-five mortality in Nepal. Survival information of 16,802 most recent singleton live births from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey for the period (2001⁻2016) were utilized. Read More

Ann Biomed Eng 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.

A number of significant muscle diseases, such as cachexia, sarcopenia, systemic chronic inflammation, along with inflammatory myopathies share TNF-α-dominated inflammation in their pathogenesis. In addition, inflammatory episodes may increase susceptibility to drug toxicity. To assess the effect of TNF-α-induced inflammation on drug responses, we engineered 3D, human skeletal myobundles, chronically exposed them to TNF-α during maturation, and measured the combined response of TNF-α and the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin on muscle function. Read More

Lancet 2019 Apr 5. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Routine childhood vaccination is among the most cost-effective, successful public health interventions available. Amid substantial investments to expand vaccine delivery throughout Africa and strengthen administrative reporting systems, most countries still require robust measures of local routine vaccine coverage and changes in geographical inequalities over time.

Methods: This analysis drew from 183 surveys done between 2000 and 2016, including data from 881 268 children in 49 African countries. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2019 Apr 22;34(12):e105. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Family Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background: Incidence of whooping cough is increasing in Korea. Since 2011, occurrence among adolescents and adults has risen putting vulnerable neonates at risk. National immunization guidelines now include Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis) vaccination during pregnancy and as a cocooning strategy (i. Read More

Curr Opin Pediatr 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Adolescent providers have a unique opportunity to interface with adolescents during a transformative time period. Optimizing vaccinations may protect teens against preventable but potentially deadly diseases. Healthcare providers must be aware of the evolving vaccination data and up-to-date recommendations for vaccinations. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2019 Apr 27;19(4):392-401. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background: Maternal tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination offers protection for neonates against clinical pertussis until primary vaccinations, but maternal antibodies also interfere with infants' immune responses to primary vaccinations. We investigated the effect of maternal Tdap vaccination on the pertussis antibody responses of infants starting primary vaccinations at age 3 months.

Methods: In an open-label, parallel, randomised, controlled trial, pregnant women aged 18-40 years with a low risk of pregnancy complications were recruited through independent midwives at 36 midwife clinics in the Netherlands and received Tdap vaccination either at 30-32 weeks of pregnancy (maternal Tdap group) or within 48 h after delivery (control group). Read More

Minerva Ginecol 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Deparment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS - AUSL di Reggio Emilia, Guastalla Civil Hospital, Guastalla, Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Background: Italian National Immunization Plan (NIP) 2017-2019 has introduced new recommendations regarding immunization practices during pregnancy. In this cross sectional study, we documented specific knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in a sample of obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYN).

Methods: A total of 68 OBGYN (39. Read More

Lancet 2019 Apr 29;393(10181):1657-1668. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address:

Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable disease that still commonly occurs in many low-income and middle-income countries, although it is rare in high-income countries. The disease is caused by the toxin of the bacterium Clostridium tetani and is characterised by muscle spasms and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Global vaccination initiatives have had considerable success but they continue to face many challenges. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2019 03 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Background: Certain vaccines such as BCG have non-specific effects, which modulate innate immune responses and lead to protection against mortality from unrelated infections (trained immunity). In contrast, in spite of the disease-specific effects, an enhanced overall mortality has been described after diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination in females. This randomized trial aimed to investigate the non-specific immunological effects of BCG and DTP-containing vaccines on the immune response to unrelated pathogens. Read More

Intern Med 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Center of infectious diseases, Nagano Prefectural Shinshu Medical Center, Japan.

A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to difficulty in moving her limbs. She had trismus and a necrotic and contaminated wound in her left lower leg. A diagnosis of tetanus was confirmed and intensive care was started. Read More

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Department of Endocrinology, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.

Turner syndrome (TS) is a sex chromosomal disorder, affecting approximately 1 in 2,500 live-born females, and characterised by the absence of all or part of one X chromosome. Besides the constellation of phenotypic features that includes short stature, gonadal dysgenesis, coarctation of aorta and renal malformation, patients are also genetically predisposed to developing a variety of autoimmune disorders, including hypothyroidism and coeliac disease . This article is protected by copyright. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Apr 23;37(17):2331-2339. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Research Scientist and PRERNA Young Investigator, Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.

Objective: Delayed vaccination increases the susceptibility window for vaccine preventable diseases. Our analysis estimates the proportion of children between 10 and 23 months of age with delayed vaccination in India and the associated socio-demographic, maternal and child related factors.

Methods: We used individual level data from the National Family and Health Survey 4, conducted in 2015-2016. Read More

Obstet Gynecol 2019 Apr;133(4):739-753

Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; and the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.

Vaccines administered to women during pregnancy can provide protection against serious infectious diseases for the mother, for the newborn, or both. Maternal immunization boosts the concentration of maternal antibodies that can be transferred across the placenta to directly protect infants too young to be immunized. In addition, indirect protection through prevention of maternal infection and through breast milk antibodies can be achieved through maternal immunization. Read More

J Family Med Prim Care 2019 Jan;8(1):91-96

Department of Community Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India.

Context: Urban population in India is growing exponentially. The public sector urban health delivery system has so far been limited in its reach and is far from adequate.

Aims: This study aims to estimate routine immunization coverage and associated factors among children (12-23 months and 60-84 months) in the urban Kochi Metropolitan Area of Kerala. Read More

Pediatr Emerg Care 2019 Mar 21. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.

Objectives: In this article, in light of the literature, we aimed at discussing data obtained from patients in which extrapyramidal adverse effects that are misdiagnosed as varied clinical presentations developed due to metoclopramide, which is frequently prescribed in pediatric emergency services and in family practice centers for its powerful and rapid antiemetic action.

Methods: The files of patients who presented to a pediatric clinic at the research hospital of Mustafa Kemal University between January 2017 and January 2018 and who were diagnosed as having acute dystonic reaction were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: Generalized hypertonicity in 4 patients, abnormal involuntary movements in 2 patients, oculogyric crisis in 2 patients, local hypertonia in the wrist and fingers in 2 patients, spasmodic cervical hypertonicity in 2 patients, and trismus in 1 patient were found. Read More

Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi 2019 Mar;21(3):199-202

National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.

Objective: To investigate the status of vaccination in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was performed in 148 children in Hunan province, China who were registered in China's Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Comprehensive Response Information Management System up to December 31, 2016 and were aged <15 years at the time of confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection. The information on vaccination, diagnosis of HIV infection, and diagnosis and treatment of related diseases was collected. Read More

Prev Med 2019 Mar 20;123:278-287. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Institut national de santé publique du Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Childhood vaccination efforts in Canada have been negatively impacted by parents' vaccine hesitancy based on their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB) about vaccinations. Less understood is the extent to which child vaccination receipt and KAB vary by parents' socioeconomic status (SES). Analyzing different age groups of children and vaccinations, we examine the extent to which (a) family SES (parent education, household income) is a determinant of Canadian parents' vaccination KAB and child vaccination receipt, and (b) whether SES was indirectly associated with receipt via KAB. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Apr 19;37(16):2179-2187. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Infectious Diseases Department, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.

Background: Compared to hosting populations, immigrants are usually considered more vulnerable to communicable diseases, many of which are vaccine-preventable. This study aims to estimate vaccination coverage (VC) and timeliness in children born to women from high migratory pressure countries (HMPC) and to evaluate factors affecting differences with children born to Italian women or women from advanced development countries (ITA + ADC).

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data of children born in 2009-2014 and resident in areas served by three local health units in the cities of Rome (n = 40,284), Turin (n = 49,600), and Treviso (n = 20,080). Read More

Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2019 Jun 9;14:100321. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India.

Introduction: We conducted a randomized, observer-blind, non-inferiority, parallel-group clinical study of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and type b conjugate (pentavalent) vaccination of infants in India. Goals were to determine whether the seropositivity rate after vaccination via disposable-syringe jet injector (DSJI) was non-inferior to that via needle and syringe (N-S), and to compare the safety of vaccination by the two methods.

Methods: Healthy children received a three-dose series of vaccine intramuscularly by DSJI or N-S beginning at 6-8 weeks of age. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2019 Mar 31;7(3):486-490. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Neurology Niigata National Hospital, National Hospital Organization Kashiwazaki, Niigata Japan.

We presented a case of atraumatic tetanus developed initially with severe headache. Headache may be a clue to the presence of tetanus. Clinicians who usually treat headache should consider the possibility of tetanus in patients who present with symptoms that are severe and atypical for a given patient. Read More

Toxins (Basel) 2019 Mar 19;11(3). Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.

Envenomation by venomous snakes is life threatening for horses. However, the efficacy of available treatments for this occurrence, in horses, has not yet been adequately determined. The aim of this study was to describe the treatments provided in cases of envenomation in horses and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of antivenom administration. Read More

Expert Rev Vaccines 2019 Mar 25:1-17. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

a GSK , Wavre , Belgium.

Introduction: Pertussis (whooping cough) is a vaccine-preventable disease; however, neither natural- nor vaccine-induced protection is life-long. Although generally not severe in adults, pertussis can be associated with complications in patients with chronic conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and can be readily transmitted to more vulnerable populations, including neonates before they complete their primary vaccination. Furthermore, as the global population ages, the health and economic burden of the disease is expected to rise. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2019 Apr;38(4):439-443

From the Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ.

Background: DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib is a fully liquid, hexavalent vaccine containing a 5-antigen pertussis component, approved since 2016 in Europe [Vaxelis; DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib vaccine: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (5 acellular components: pertussis toxoid [PT], filamentous haemagglutinin [FHA], pertactin (PRN), and fimbriae Types 2 and 3 [FIM]), hepatitis B (recombinant DNA: rDNA), poliomyelitis (inactivated) and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (adsorbed); MCM Vaccine B.V., The Netherlands] for primary and booster vaccination in infants and toddlers against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and invasive diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. Read More

J Immunol Sci 2018 Aug;Suppl(9):63-67

WHO Consultant, WHO Rwanda.

Objective: This paper assesses and describes the estimated coverage of the Measles Rubella (MR) campaign in each district; the national estimate of coverage for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination campaign and Vitamin A supplementation simultaneously implemented in 2013.

Methods: We applied descriptive statistics and epidemiological tools to the outcomes of the campaigns to assess the coverage achieved on the different child and maternal health interventions. We also assessed the Adverse Events following Immunization (AEFI) where the evaluation was used at the same time to assess the routine immunization performance coverage for children 12-24 months for all childhood antigens, Tetanus Toxoid coverage among mothers of infants, combined with routine immunization performance evaluation, skilled delivery and bed nets use in Rwanda. Read More

J Immunol Sci 2018 Aug 28;Suppl(15):103-107. Epub 2018 Jul 28.

Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme, Family & Reproductive Health Cluster, WHO African Region, Brazzaville, Congo.

Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable disease of significant public health importance especially in developing countries. The WHO strategy for the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus recommends the promotion of clean delivery practices, systematic immunization of pregnant women and those in the reproductive age (15-49 years) and surveillance for neonatal tetanus. Implementation of the recommended strategy with the support of WHO, UNICEF and other partners has led to significant decline in number of cases and deaths due to NT over the last decades. Read More

Lancet Neurol 2019 May 14;18(5):459-480. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Background: Neurological disorders are increasingly recognised as major causes of death and disability worldwide. The aim of this analysis from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016 is to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date estimates of the global, regional, and national burden from neurological disorders.

Methods: We estimated prevalence, incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs; the sum of years of life lost [YLLs] and years lived with disability [YLDs]) by age and sex for 15 neurological disorder categories (tetanus, meningitis, encephalitis, stroke, brain and other CNS cancers, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron diseases, idiopathic epilepsy, migraine, tension-type headache, and a residual category for other less common neurological disorders) in 195 countries from 1990 to 2016. Read More

J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2019 Mar 2;46:14-20. Epub 2019 Mar 2.

Department of Neurobiology, Poznan University of Physical Education, Poland.

Effects of a sudden decrease in the stimulation frequency for motor unit force were studied in rat medial gastrocnemius. For 161 functionally isolated single motor units of three types (S, FR, FF), unfused tetanic contractions were evoked by three-phase trains of stimuli (low-high-low frequency). The course of the tetanus at the onset of the third phase of the force recording was analyzed in tetani with variable fusion degree. Read More

Rheumatology (Oxford) 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Department of Public Health/Division of Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a diphtheria/tetanus vaccine booster dose in three different patient groups with rheumatic diseases on a variety of immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory medications compared with healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: We conducted a multi-centre prospective cohort study in Switzerland. We enrolled patients with RA, axial SpA/PsA, vasculitis (Behçet's disease, ANCA-associated vasculitis) and HCs. Read More